In VALORANT, gunplay sits at the centre of everything in-game — every clutch, comeback, and elo-defining victory. Riot’s tactical shooter is set apart from the rest with its unique agents and abilities. It’s essential to know what guns you need to get the job done.
This VALORANT gun tier list cuts through the theory and gets to the point: What guns actually work in real games? Whether you’re trying to figure out what guns are worth your credits or are a seasoned veteran looking to refine your buying choices, you’ll find the best picks below.
The Escapist recaps
- The top VALORANT guns are the S-Tier weapons (Vandal, Phantom, Operator).
- The worst is the D-Tier weapon, the Ares.
- All VALORANT guns are subject to change because of VALORANT patches.
- The Vandal and Operator are the most renowned guns due to their versatility and serious damage output.
VALORANT guns tier list in brief
This tier list focuses on several factors: cost, fire rate, magazine capacity, wall penetration, and damage. These metrics apply differently to each weapon’s use case.
| Tiers | VALORANT Guns |
|---|---|
| S-Tier | Vandal, Phantom, Operator |
| A-Tier | Judge, Outlaw, Sheriff, Stinger, Bulldog, Guardian, Ghost |
| B-Tier | Odin, Spectre, Classic, Marshall |
| C-Tier | Shorty, Frenzy, Bucky |
| D-Tier | Ares |
All damage is stated as the closest possible range, as for most guns, damage will drop off the further away you are.
S-Tier VALORANT guns
S-Tier weapons are the peak of the VALORANT weapons hierarchy. These guns shape the meta and define how rounds are played, combining raw power with versatility. Regardless of whether you’re entering anchoring or in a late round clutch, these are the weapons you want.
Vandal:
- Cost: 2,900
- Fire Rate: 9.25 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 25
- Wall Penetration: Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 160 / 40 / 34
Phantom:
- Cost: 2,900
- Fire Rate: 11 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 30
- Wall Penetration: Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 156 / 39 / 33
Operator:
- Cost: 4,700
- Fire Rate: 0.6 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 5
- Wall Penetration: High
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 255 / 150 / 120
A-Tier VALORANT guns
While not as strong as S-Tier, these A-Tier weapons are still powerful, dependable options that may just be more situational. They benefit from certain play styles or specific strategies, making for powerful weapons at any VALORANT rank, capable of swaying the tide of a game.
Judge:
- Cost: 1,850
- Fire Rate: 3.5 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 7
- Wall Penetration Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 40 / 20 / 17
Outlaw:
- Cost: 2,400
- Fire Rate: 2.75 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 2
- Wall Penetration: High
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 238 / 140 / 119
Sheriff:
- Cost: 800
- Fire Rate: 4 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 6
- Wall Penetration: High
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 159 / 55 / 46
Stinger:
- Cost: 1100
- Fire Rate: 16 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 20
- Wall Penetration: Low
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 67 / 27 / 23
Bulldog:
- Cost: 2,050
- Fire Rate: 10 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 24
- Wall Penetration: Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 115 / 35 / 29
Guardian:
- Cost:
- Fire Rate:
- Magazine Capacity:
- Wall Penetration
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 115 / 35 / 29
Ghost:
- Cost: 500
- Fire Rate: 6.75 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 15
- Wall Penetration: Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 105 / 30 / 26
B-Tier VALORANT guns
B-Tier weapons occupy the middle ground of VALORANT‘s weapon base. They may not be meta-defining, but you can still hold your own, offering solid performance when paired with abilities and strong positioning. They may be just what you need on those niche rounds.
Odin:
- Cost: 3,200
- Fire Rate: 15.6 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 100
- Wall Penetration: High
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 95 / 38 / 32
Spectre:
- Cost: 1,600
- Fire Rate: 13.33
- Magazine Capacity: 30
- Wall Penetration: Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 78 / 26 / 22
Classic:
- Cost: 0
- Fire Rate: 6.75 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 12
- Wall Penetration: Low
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 78 / 26 / 22
Marshall:
- Cost: 950
- Fire Rate: 1.5 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 5
- Wall Penetration: Medium
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 202 / 101 / 85
C-Tier VALORANT guns
C-Tier weapons are situational at best, not being picked first often. Maybe because you’re low on credits, you may still be able to edge out in the round, but they suffer from being inconsistent or having a lower damage output.
They may not be the best guns in VALORANT, but you can still get the job done if you’re lucky.
Shorty:
- Cost: 150
- Fire Rate: 3.33 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 2
- Wall Penetration: Low
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 24 / 12 / 10
Frenzy:
- Cost: 450
- Fire Rate: 10 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 13
- Wall Penetration: Low
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 78 / 26 / 22
Bucky:
- Cost: 900
- Fire Rate: 1.1 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 5
- Wall Penetration: Low
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 40 / 20 / 17
D-Tier VALORANT guns
The D-Tier guns are the bottom of the barrel when it comes to weapons in VALORANT. They are heavily outclassed by every other gun and offer little to no benefit to buying them; they offer little return on investment, and you’re often better off forgoing them.
Ares:
- Cost: 1,600
- Fire Rate: 13 r/s
- Magazine Capacity: 50
- Wall Penetration: High
- Damage (Head / Body / Legs): 72 / 30 / 25
Ask The Escapist
There is no “best weapon” in VALORANT. However, the S-Tier VALORANT weapons are Vandal, Phantom, and the Operator, all capable of changing the tides of a game.
The Operator, Vandal Sheriff, and Guardian are all capable of one-shotting in VALORANT.
In total, there are 18 weapons in VALORANT, not counting abilities
The Vandal, Operator, and Phantom are used the most in VALORANT pro play. However, you may see the Odin, Sheriff, and Ghost get a lot of use as well. Some of the less common guns appear dependent on the map and position, such as the Judge Marshall, Outlaw, and Shorty.
One of the easiest guns in VALORANT to use is the Phantom, due to its easier recoil and spray control compared to the Vandal. For those low-eco rounds, the Spectre makes a great alternative, as it has forgiving recoil and movement inaccuracy.
References
- VALORANT Patch Notes 11.08 (RIOT GAMES)
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